Don't wait to get cost saving and care improving insights.Subscribe for instant insights!

Instant Insights

October 23, 2017

EnvisionPharmacies’ President Bruce Scott Named to Prestigious Healthcare Industry Board

PRESS RELEASE: Bruce Scott, R.Ph., president of EnvisionPharmacies, a division of EnvisionRxOptions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rite Aid Corporation, was recently elected to the URAC board of directors. As a third-party accreditation organization with a mission of promoting continuous improvement in the quality and efficiency of healthcare management, URAC was seeking a board member who could provide sound advice regarding the growing specialty medication market. Scott’s extensive background and experience with specialty pharmacy and benefit management will help this accrediting organization address this critical issue.

“Given Bruce’s knowledge and extensive experience he brings to our organization, it’s no surprise that URAC would select him for this role,” stated Frank Sheehy, CEO of EnvisionRxOptions. “Under his leadership, EnvisionPharmacies has secured multiple URAC accreditations, including Specialty Pharmacy, and has been nationally recognized for award-winning condition management and industry-leading patient satisfaction. Bruce understands the critical need to integrate specialty pharmacy in order to optimize overall patient and payer outcomes.”

With almost 40 years of pharmacy experience, Scott has acquired in-depth knowledge of the ever-growing specialty medication market. For the past three years, he has served as president of EnvisionPharmacies, overseeing the company’s mail order, specialty and compounding pharmacy operations. Previously, he has held executive roles with pharmaceutical manufacturers on the marketing and distribution channels of specialty medication; pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and payers regarding benefit design, contracting and utilization management; and pharmacies to administer the benefit design and manage the care process.

“Specialty medications are making great strides in addressing complex, high-cost conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, hepatitis C and others,” Scott said. “The diseases these expensive medications are used to treat often manifest differently from patient to patient, demanding more individualized attention and a much stronger knowledge of not just pharmacy, but things like site of care and benefit coverage. The industry hasn’t really seen this before.”

Specialty medication spend has doubled in the past five years and is expected to account for 42% of the pharmacy industry’s revenue by 2021[1]. With nearly half of all Americans suffering from at least one chronic condition—many of which require specialty medications for treatment—managing cost and care is paramount[2]. As more specialty medications enter the market, it is important to have a governing body like URAC to help define best practices for individualized care to better manage the condition and costs for this burgeoning industry.

As an independent leader in promoting healthcare quality through accreditation, certification, education, and measurement, URAC regularly reviews and revises their standards and measures reporting requirements to consistently align with market needs, government regulations and industry trends. With the development of new, complex and costly drugs, pharmacy services has never played such an important role in the delivery of care as it does today, particularly specialty pharmacy services.

“There is more to managing specialty drugs than simply dispensing a medication,” Scott commented. “Specialty pharmacy patients require a high-touch experience with additional care, comprehensive education and strong support to achieve optimal outcomes. That is why, with the increasing number of pharmacies claiming the title of ‘specialty pharmacy,’ it is important to have the rigorous credentialing processes that URAC provides. URAC accreditation demonstrates a willingness to stand behind performance.”

Scott will serve a three-year term on the URAC board, providing expertise to address the challenges of the industry, including specialty medication cost and care management. “URAC is consistently seeking to advance quality in this industry,” Scott commented. “I am honored to be a member of their board and contribute to the future of healthcare performance.”